Sweet Dreams
by Envo
Summary: Canon. The sweeter the dream is, the harder it is to wake up and face reality.
1. Chapter 1

Title- Sweet Dreams

By- Envo

Pairings- [Slight/One-side] NaruSaku, SasuSaku, NaruHina

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.

* * *

-

Chapter 1

-

Out of all four seasons present throughout the year, winter is without a question on the top of his most hated list. Quite frankly, he detests having to tread through the bone chilling gusts and sometimes join with bitter cold droplets of freezing rain.

He shuts the howling wind out with a loud bang of his front door, nearly taking the hinges off the plate of wood as he leans against said place with a heavy sigh and allows his eyes to close for a brief moment. Despite having probably the largest chakra reserve around the village, it doesn't stop a reconnaissance mission from sucking his energy dry.

A hand lifts the painted mask and throws it aside as the cool air surrounds his uncovered face with a refreshing touch. Through his dripping wet strands of blond, cerulean orbs scan the dark interior of his apartment and a small smile touches his lips. The surprisingly clean floor and spotless tabletop never ceases to amaze him whenever he returns from his missions. Hell, he doesn't even bother to memorize the layouts of his furniture since it changes with each visit from his helpful teammates that bothers to clean his house whenever they decides to visit.

Musing to himself, he slowly rounds the corner and make his way towards his private resting place. Though the thought of filling his empty stomach with ramen crosses his mind and tempting him to detour towards his small kitchen, he dismisses the thought instantaneously. As a twenty two year-old ANBU member, he no longer allows his craving for food to override his judgment. And when his body screams at him for rest, he heeds it without a second thought.

He drags his tired form into the small stall serving as his bathroom to wash away the filth that marred his skin during the mission. An ambush that led their team on a wild goose chase along the southern half of the border had not been on their team's agenda, and by the time they had hunted down each and every rogue in the group it was already the crack of dawn. The following days was rather uneventful compared to their first day scouting, but because of that particular event, none of them had the luxury in letting their guards down.

With his eyes half-closed, he emerges from the steam-filled room ten minutes later. The fit black pants are replaced with a pair of comfortable trousers in the same shade while the fishnet shirt replaces the dark, sleeveless turtleneck that landed in a heap in the far corner.

The turbulent weather outside seems to calm down slightly as sheets of rain reduced into nothingness and the surging gust dissolved into a cool, midnight breeze.

Having donned on his casual sleepwear, he proceeds towards the neatly made, twin-sized bed and falls into the realm of unconsciousness after covering himself with the thin comforter while leaving his upper torso exposed to the light brushes of wind that slipping through his unclosed window.

"_Sasuke, give it up already." The fight that dragged through the entire day slowly wore down everyone in the vicinity. This was not the way he had imagined their reunion of the former Team Seven._

_No matter how many times Sakura's green, healing chakra flared, it never seemed to be able to put an end to the constantly reappearing wound with each swipe and slash of metal. Even with his back turned, he could still feel the worrying gaze Sakura drilled into his back as she tended to a severely wounded Kakashi thanks to Sasuke's chidori variant—chidori nagashi. _

_Flanking his two sides were a serious looking Yamato that stepped forward to fill Kakashi's empty spot, who he later recognized as Tenzo, while to his right stood Sai with that same stoic expression of his. Neither side of the party said anything as they regarded each other while he and his kage bunshin produced another rasengan, it being the seventh of the day. _

_Ahead, twin sharingan wheels spun dangerously as its user continued to glare at the members of Team Kakashi surrounding him. A thin trickle of red slid down from the corner of his self-exiled, ex-teammate's tightly clasped lips and successfully bring his attention away from the piercing pools of crimson. None of them were left unscathed even with Sakura healing nonstop; her chakra level was diminishing in an alarming rate __with each surge of chakra from her hand__, and judging from her harsh panting, it wouldn't be long until she collapse from chakra exhaustion. _

_As of now, he had managed to land a hit that disabled the usage of Sasuke's right arm, a direct hit from his rasengan to the chest, though its impact was null by the electric current that runs through the Uchiha's form, and then a shallow scratch across the abdomen just moments ago. But the unstable wobbling and the feel of needles jabbing into him whenever the wind choose to pass by reminded him of his own conditions; a stab to his thigh that missed his femoral artery by a hair's length, a slash across his left shoulder and crushed collar bones made him hardly better off than his opponent._

_All the sound that was left between them were the harsh breathings and the spinning of the chakra ball in his hands. There were no movements from either side. None of the trees stirred, not even one bird chirped; all was a standstill. _

_They were all reaching towards their limits, and they knew it well; judging from the slouched posture of the raven haired man, his energy and chakra were nearing their tipping point as well._

_Without a warning, twin pools of red disappeared behind suddenly shut eyelids and its owner fell forward without a noise—_

Another presence jars the complex web of chakra he weaved throughout his apartment and he bolts upright with a kunai in one hand. All grogginess gone, his sharp eyes scan through the dark corners and lastly, lands on a slim figure beside the opened window. A silky white, knee-length nightgown blows gently with the chilling breeze of the night while twin emerald orbs gaze at him, asking permission quietly. Tense muscles relax slowly as he let out a sigh.

"Sakura," he breaths and the kunai drops from his hand.

The only female member of former Team Seven makes her way towards the edge of his bed. "Sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean to wake you," her words are soft even in the dead of night, and despite her almost inaudible whisper and being shrouded within the shadows, he could still pick up the poorly-concealed tearfulness in her nonchalant tone.

He steels himself at her words and allows the tide of red fury to pass before making an attempt to speak without having the entire village listening in on their conversation. "He did it again, didn't he?" Judging from the trembling in his words out of his raging emotion, he has done a poor job at remaining calm.

The woman looks at him with melancholy eyes but remains silent. Pushing the blond strands obstructing his vision away, he let out a resigned sigh. Signaling his ex-teammate, he pats the space beside him wordlessly.

"I'm sorry for bothering you like this again," her voice is muffled as she delves beneath the blankets and settles beside him. Almost automatically, his arm curls around her waist and pulls her close as he tries to warm her freezing form with his own.

"What is it this time? I'm all ears." he voices his question quietly and waits as patiently as he can for her answer, which never fails to make him sick when it does.

"He was with a woman again when I got back from the hospital," she tells him without emotion; a robot answering a typical question.

"That bastard—"

"Only they weren't in the garden this time around," bitterness fills her voice as she continues with a self-mocking tone, "they were in our room when I found them." Blank façade abandoned, the agony on her face is so apparent, so real that even he can not bear to watch least he wishes to go on a savage rampage in the middle of the night. Droplets after droplets of pristine tears roll down her face as she buries her tearful face into his shirt, damping it within seconds.

Not knowing what else can comfort the pink haired woman, he does the next best thing. His hands soothes over her back as he allows her to weep in his arms. His chest tight and he finds himself unable to speak reasonably with the anger filling up inside him, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. Each droplet serves to only widen the tearing wound in his heart as he listens to the quiet wails of the woman in his arms. Trying desperately to fight against the urge of paying his other ex-teammate a late visit, he concentrates on other thoughts.

"This can not continue, Sakura. Look at what he's done to you," the sobbing does not stop, but he continues, "This is the fifth time you've come to me during this month, and excluding the two weeks of me being on a mission, I don't think you need me to tell you how serious the situation looks."

"I-I just thought he cared. The day when we—" she broke off. The sobs lessen, but the trembling of her shoulders does not stop. "I-I thought I could help him, Naruto. He's been through so much and I thought I could make him forget the sadness of his past and take away the pain, but…"

"What did I do wrong, Naruto?" her outbursts reduces to a whisper once again as she asks him.

It dealt a blow somewhere inside and the receding rage came rolling back once more; only this time he couldn't stop it. "You, wrong? Sakura, are you seeing reason? He is the one cheating behind you back and making you like this yet now you are saying you are the one who's done something wrong?"

He knew he struck a nerve, but it was necessary. The trembling form in his arms stiffens at his sudden outburst. He sighs.

"Sakura, you are his wife. Shouldn't you do something about it instead of allowing it to happen again and again? Maybe hit him over the head or something will make him think straight," he tries to cheer her up with his usual stupid jokes, but it doesn't work this time.

Silence settles between them until he almost give up on hearing her answer.

"I am sorry, Naruto." The helpless four words were and is always the end of their conversation. And it always hurts.

He waits quietly until he is sure that she is soundly asleep before lifting his arms from her and leaving her side.

Padding soundlessly out of his room, he perches down on the three-legged stool and watches the clouds part and make way for the moon to shine. The chilling wind that sends goose bumps across his bare skin jolts him from his thoughts as he move to close the window, shutting off the entrance to the offending wind.

The knowledge of keep one's home safe is known by all seasoned shinobi, but he left his window open for a reason; the particular reason that lies in his bed at this moment. It started two months ago when she first came over with a troubled face, then it all went downhill from there on out. Though he longs to hold the figure in his bed and not letting her go, it is neither his right nor his place to do so, as she is a married woman. She knew it too, yet neither of them said anything.

His feelings for her has never been a secret; it is, on the contrary, a well known fact. Being with the one he loved is suppose to make him feel happy, complete; but seeing her weeping for another man is simply out of his range of acceptance, especially when said man is a close friend of his.

He would never have allowed any of this to happen had it not been the vow he took when Sasuke left. He had failed to bring him back, and the disappointment in her eyes was surprisingly and overwhelmingly heartbreaking.

"_Last time, I couldn't save you as you came tumbling down. But this time, I'll make sure you'll land in my arms."_

It was and is because of this secret vow he took that he is in this situation today. He wants to stop it, to end all the pain that sends shock to his crumbling heart with each sob and tear from the woman he loved, but he still kept to his promise.

"_I'm right in front of you. Why can't you see me instead?"_

He is not sure how much longer he can hold on like this, but he can feel the limit drawing up near.

"_End this agony for the both of us, Sakura."_

* * *

A/N: No idea where this one pops out, but here it is. There will be another one to two shots (depends) following after this one; related or not, you can be the judge, because I honestly think they can all be read separatly without much confusion.

There's not much to say about this one, so I hope you enjoy reading it.

Reviews and constructive criticisms are welcome and greatly appreciated!

Envo 12/31


	2. Chapter 2

Title- Sweet Dreams

By- Envo

Pairings- [Slight/One-side] NaruSaku, SasuSaku, NaruHina

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.

Warning- Strong language ahead.

* * *

-

Chapter 2

-

A kunai cut through shadows with a ground eating pace as it sails between gaps of trees and leaves towards its target. With a twist to the shoulder, the weapon wheezes by harmlessly and embeds itself to the hilt several seconds later with a dull thud resonating about the clearing.

Two orbs of onyx shifts lazily towards the edge of the secluded clearing and stares blankly at the man emitting a hostile aura.

"Naruto."

Blond hair swivels wildly in the gusty wind and trimmed grass sway noisily as furious cerulean clashes with bland abyss in the wide span of greenery.

In a blink of an eye, the soon-to-be-Hokage's form flickers and vanishes into thin air; on reflex, his sword hand shifts to his arsenal. A clash of metal follows; its sound echoes throughout the clearing, scattering flocks of avian perched on branches into the air.

He merely leans against Kusanagi and calmly meets the eyes of his ex-teammate. Their weapons like magnets; neither are willing to budge under the pressure of other. Blankly, he lifts his brow at the man whom he once called friend and waits for the outburst he becomes so familiar with over the passing years.

"Why her, Sasuke?" with his face contorts in anger, Naruto snarls.

"Which one?" his voice sounds so foreign even to his own ears as he flattens his tone to that of a bored one; his eyes continue to trace the slight trembles of the weapon against his own. A subtle, but not undetectable twist against his blade was his only warning before a sharp pain spreads over his back. The kunai he had evaded moments ago is now a hair's length away from his right cheek. Naruto had managed to knock away Kusanagi with a twirl of the dagger in a split of a second before sending them both crashing into the rough surface behind. Wood splinters delve deep into his flesh with crimson liquid climbing up his back, tainting his shirt as they go.

He snorts lightly. He lived his entire life in pain; it is not something so foreign to him.

"Don't fuck with me, Sasuke. You know very well who I am talking about."

"So you come in Sakura's stead as a comforting friend, Naruto?" A small smirk lifts the corner of his lips; the humor, however, does not reach his eyes as he taunts the one who he knew still care for his spouse deeply.

The grip to his collar tightens as Naruto slams him against the wooden surface; the bark behind gives a hollow crack under the forceful impact. "Don't you dare say her name," the Yondaime's legacy grits a deadly whisper while the knuckles so close to his vulnerable throat turns from bright red to pale white.

"She's still the weak, little girl. I see."

"Shut up, you don't have the right to judge. You don't know her with all the shit you've put her through!" Naruto bellows at the blatant insult he gave to their only female ex-teammate. "You have the guts to say that—"

"She misunderstood her role. That is all."

Naruto pauses slightly at the simple, nonchalant remark he made. Bewilderment inked on the whiskered face before anger took over seconds later.

"Her role? She becomes your wife through marriage, that's what her role is," though the word _wife_ comes out hesitantly, Naruto goes on. The fist holding onto the collar loosens slightly; enable him to breathe more freely as he watches the wave of anguish washes through the face suddenly so vulnerable before him.

"Marriage is a contract. She got what she wanted from me, and so did I. Our roles in this are nothing more than that."

"This isn't a fucking mission, Sasuke! She isn't just an object for you to play with, she's human, and she's Sakura!" Naruto spits the words through clenching teeth and hurtles him into the air, sending him flying back towards another bark before he breaks the fall with a flip in the air. Blades of grass stir and fly as he skids lightly on the dew-covered grass. Landing soundlessly on the ground cushioned with green, he allows the split second of anger to surface in his eyes before locking them away once again.

"Shinobi has no need for emotional attachments; those are for the weak."

Tension stretches through thin air, so thin that it is almost tangible.

"So that's it, that's all your avenger mind can think of? After all these years, you still haven't change one damn bit!" venomous words lingers in the tense atmosphere as the blond all but flings the insult right in his face. And he doesn't like it.

"What do you know?" he growls; the calmness he so carefully kept moments ago shatters into pieces as anger seeps in, clouding his rational half as raging emotions demands retribution to lash out at the dimwitted blond.

The oppressing waves of unsettling aura diminish and the seething anger underneath the too-easily-read tone dissipates. Only the hard glare in the pair of cerulean eyes intensifies as quiet words pours out into the space between them, "You've hurt Sakura-chan. That's all I know."

The words reach his ears despite the howling wind against his ears as they fly through the air once again. "It's all the reason I need to beat you to oblivion; just for that."

A snort escapes his lips at the ignorant fool's comment; jerking his free hand up to form a half seal for the first sign of a jutsu, a cold smile reaches his lips, "Pitiful."

Flames erupt from his mouth as he aims at the dodging form. Debris flies into the air as onyx eyes narrows when the ball of searing heat blasts into the figure with full-blown force. A second later, wood splinters shoots out in all direction, nearly missing his left cheek as darken wood spikes tear past the fabric on his shoulder. Flapping sleeve shielding his face from projecting obstacles before silence restores itself again. Obsidian glistens under the slowly darken sky as he takes in his surroundings; all that is left is the disintegrated ashes of wood floating in the wind, the deep crater covered with charred mass of grass, and the brunt smell filling the air when the commotion dies down. He eyes the blacken chunks with distaste as he calmly allows the surge of chakra to bleed into his eyes, transforming his jet-black orbs into powerful doujutsu of his no-longer-existing clan, the Sharingan.

Kusanagi sweeps in an arc, stopping the kunai advancing towards his spine in time. Spinning, he knocks the offending weapon away as the blur of blond flashes away from his sword tip.

On the far side of the meadow, Naruto snarls silently on all fours and watches his movements warily. Icy sapphires pierce into his onyx ones with contempt.

"Prepare youself, Sasuke. I will make you see reason and acknowledge Sakura even if it's the last thing I do!"

The firm soil underneath his feet suddenly caves in and collapses. A hand shoots up with blinding speed and grasps onto his ankle. A smirk curls his lips as the ground swallows him whole. "Is this all you can do, Naruto?"

Without hearing a response, the earth above seals shut, taking with it his vision and the life-giving oxygen. A small puff of smoke engulfs his senses before the moist, earthy smell of soil greets his sense of smell. Soft clinks of crawling worms penetrate his hearing as he closes his eyes to the darkness. Slowly breathing out, he concentrates. Warmth spreads rapidly along his limbs, sending tinkles throughout as he allows energy to build up inside his person. White-hot glow seeps into his shut eyelids and crackles of shrilling electricity grows louder in his ears. The bubble of boiling energy inside him seethes, ready to burst. Eyes snapping open, Sharingan narrows as raw chakra pours from his pores. _Chidori Nagashi._

Detritus sprays up towards the clouded sky in jets and the ground trembles as rigid tendrils of lighting around him breaks down the encasing soil with massive force, casting them skywards. Leaping up from the newly made crater, he lands lightly on the edge of the gaping hole in the meadow and slants a blank stare at a tense, motionless Naruto.

The numbing energy cruises beneath his skin with fury slows and transforms back to rivers of soft flowing blue; the tendrils gives one last crackle before dying away with the carrying wind.

"You are all alone this time, Naruto. No one is here to help you when I bring you down," he whispers; his voice drips with acid.

Said blond returns a humorless smile, "You are not the only one who grew strong over the years, Sasuke."

"So it seems," absentmindedly, his foot taps the ground as Naruto flies at him with Rasengan in hand.

Lighting and wind meets in the middle of the air with a loud crash as nearby trees shake with the force field. His right hand blocking the fist as his left cancels out the wind element attack with chidori. With his left hand freed, he channels the surge of energy down the arm and fists his hand. That hand raised, he brings it down with a slashing motion directly at Naruto. The fizzling beam shooting out of his fisted hand meets the air as the blond flashes away yet again.

"There is no where you can run, Naruto." His Sharingan takes in the scenery and his lips lifts with a cold smirk. The trap has sprung. Before his eyes, the intricate webs of electricity springs to life as Naruto's feet landed paces away. Jolts of lighting shoots up from beneath and shocks the pair of feet connecting to the soil, successfully paralyzing the blond on the spot.

"What the—!"

He eyes the rigid form on the ground with his numbing electric energy running free, the word pours through his lips without thinking, "Weak."

A choked chuckle meets his cold taunt, "Who is the weak one here?" Naruto clasps the handle of a kunai and jabs it down into the strangely marked soil.

Sounds of metal wire snapping along with the wheezing of projectiles cutting through the air echoes in his eardrums, making him pause in mid step. A blinding flash takes place soon after as the ground he stands on burst along with the explosion tags on the flying kunai.

Eerie red orbs with spining tomoe shines through the heavy veil of dust and particles as he emerges from the hastily dug hole only paces away from the impact point. It was too close of a call, and he did not come out unscathed. The scrape marks across his shoulder blades stings with the expose of the atmosphere.

But Naruto is not done.

Thread-like wires trapping him as the haze clears, locking his arms to his sides and immobile his movements. Scrutinizing gaze staring into his eyes, "Don't overestimate yourself, Sasuke. You are not the only one who is capable here."

Silence stretches long and thin as their eyes meet in the air; no words are spoken before a small drop of moist lands on his cheek. "About time," he mutters, "looks like the weather is in my favor."

"I can say the same."

With his face upturned, his left hand binded to his side flashes through half seals faster than a normal eye can catch; before Naruto can react, he finishes the long set of seals as a loud growl of the sky fills their ears. Blinding white flares across the quickly gathered clouds while the sky darkens ominously. Suddenly, the sky opens and tempest erupts from within; wailing and tearing, branches gives in under the onslaught of the pouncing gale and the pounding raindrops as swirly dark blots in the sky pastes a sense of dread into the atmosphere.

Impassive eyes watch as numerous tagged kunai flies towards his person from different angles. Blue, bordering white blazes engulf him once again; the tentacles licks along the metal wire tied onto varies of trees and twines up along the wood before setting it aflame, letting loose his restrains.

With his mobility returned, he flash steps away from the deadly, airborne weapons and glides behind a panting Naruto as the ground shakes. Hand molds into a shuto position, he swipes hard at the exposed jugular. Clothes drenched in freezing rain and raven strands plastering against his cheeks cools the rush of adrenaline flushing his skin. Naruto parries his attack at the last possible second and delivers a round of hits and kicks against him.

They break apart in the middle and leaps back towards the separated edge of the meadow.

"What you did to Sakura is unforgivable," with one hand clenching hard at the chest, Naruto gasps out between short breaths.

He watches with mild satisfaction at the blond's predicament, "That is why you've lost."

Mocking laughter travels into his ears as he observes the humorless grin creeping onto Naruto's whiskered face. "Lost? Don't make me laugh, Sasuke. I'm far from—"

"You won't last another five minutes. I've already disrupted your electrical impulse," cold, abyss eyes bore into sapphire before pointedly gazing at the fisted hand clasping protectively before the chest. Waves of agony rushes forward to a now ashen face, but the pair of determined blue eyes outshine everything else.

"I know that… But I never said I was done, either."

Blood red eyes widen slightly as four clones of Naruto appears in the corner of his eyes, each carries the spinning, shrilling orb of Rasengan. Inwardly cursing himself for being careless, he quickly flashes through the necessary seals as the four figures closing in on him rapidly. His Sharingan wheels wildly as he draws up obstacles to stall the impending impact.

The blast echoes through the surrounding woods and sends his eardrums ringing as he stumbles to the side. He had managed to deflect two of the four attacks aiming at his vital organs and another one blocked by the genjutsu he threw up hastily; however, he could not dodge the last blow that landed on his unprotected side and sending him flying back towards the edge of the lush forest.

Hand clinching to his throbbing, bloody side on reflex, he directs an impassive glance to the wound and assesses the damage silently. The jagged tear mixed with burnt marks mars his exposed skin with his shirt in shreds. Glancing up at the blond, he finds Naruto hunching over with one hand bracing on the ground and a knee bent. _Naruto has scored his liver in the near cardiac arrest stage;_ _however,_ _neither of them will be able to hold out for much longer._ The downpour of the icy rain does nothing to help lessen his pain as the moisture sends sharp waves of tremor traveling down his spine; the jarring wind tagging on torn flesh only adds onto his discomfort amid of his predicament.

"The pain in her eyes, I'll never forget it… You've put it there! What the hell is wrong with you? Bedding other woman in front of her eyes, do you have any moral?"

"Moral?" his own barking laughter rings eerily in the air, "we've already lost our moral the moment our hands are stained with our first kill, Naruto."

Cerulean eyes hardens, "Is that so? Then, I'm mistaken after all. Not only did you lost yourself, you've lost the last shard of humanity during your stay under that snake bastard all those years." The disgust-laced strikes a sore spot, and seething rage boils.

"Do no attempt to judge me when you know nothing about me." The whisper may be soft, but the underlying threat is evident still.

"If you think that excuses you from all the things you've done to her, you are terribly mistaken. All these _years_… even if she ever forgives you, I will never—"

The bubble of emotion he locked away bursts and pours out the weakness he tried so long to tame. "I've lived my life hating, seeking for vengeance only to learn later that with my own bare hands, I've killed the only person left in this world that shared my blood; the only person who cared! Tell me, Naruto, what do you know about me?"

"That has nothing to do with—!"

"You don't know the taste of loosing someone because you've never experienced it. You had nothing to loose while I lost all that I had in one night only to find out later on that all was just a plot. You've never have the blood of your own kin on your hands, their dying breath in your years, so don't attempt to think you are above me when you know nothing about my past." The sensation of warm, thick liquid coating his digits is so real, as if it was only yesterday when his last blood-related kin left the living realm with a flicker of his hands. The last, shaky smile on the face caked with blood, laboring breath wheezing out of pale, parted lips sears themselves into his consciousness and beating at him every waking moment. How can he not forget; how can he move on?

Rage cools down to melancholy as hollow cerulean stares into his eyes, "I do know. I know the feeling of loosing someone precious. I've tasted it; the bitterness that fills you when that special person is taken away from you. I know it, the very moment you took Sakura away from me."

Silence takes over the tense air as they stares deep into each other's eyes. Defeated cerulean against pained onyx. The shallow, quivering breath leaves his lips and he turns his face skywards. All the things he encounters, all the time he fought, all the pent-up emotions… _he is just so tired._

"My family, my life, my everything, I've lost it all. It doesn't matter how long I search for, I will never have it back. I don't feel anymore, no matter how much I tried. It doesn't matter how many I've touched, or how many I've killed. It no longer matters now."

"What are you saying?"

"_Get her away from me."_

His hands molds through the hand seals as he summons the electric energy from above. But before he can finish, a tint of pink flashes through black and grey. In front of him, Naruto's eyes widens before heavy eyelids veils over weary eyes while the body obeys the summoning of gravity. A jab to the back of his own neck confirms his suspicion as his own lashes begins to drop despite his command. A soft, sorrow-filled, feminine voice floats into his ears before darkness fills his eyesight.

"That's enough. Sleep now."

* * *

A/N: So I lied. Maybe you do need to read the first chapter to understand this one. But for this chapter, it is in Sasuke's point-of-view (in case of confusion), and it is more of a stimulus to the next and final chapter. Fight scenes are rather hard to write in detail for me, since my mind just moves too fast for my hands. I hope this chapter is passable.

I did not write out all the names of the jutsu used in this chapter, but you are welcome to guess which ones are described here (most are from anime/manga with the exception of one or two made-up ones). For those who are curious about one of Sasuke's move (because of the lack of description), in chapter 343, page 16 is the picture of the technique I attempted to describe there.

I know this isn't much, but compared to other works, this one is a rather serious story to write, thus it takes more time than those light-hearted ones. I may have portrait Sasuke in a darker sense than intended, but I believe that for someone to go through that much, they're bound to have some psychological problems (not that I'm saying he's insane). He does (in this story) cares for Sakura, but it contradicts with what he believes in, hence the last sentence he said to Naruto (see above).

Definitely tell me what you think about this chapter, this is after all, the first formal fight scene (excluding ones from _Remembrance_) I have, and I'm curious on how it turns out!

Reviews and constructive criticisms are greatly welcome and appreciated!

Envo 03/04


	3. Chapter 3

Title- Sweet Dreams

By- Envo

Pairings- [Slight/One-side] NaruSaku, SasuSaku, NaruHina

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.

* * *

-

Chapter 3

-

They are surrounded by flurries of curled leaves: red, yellow, orange and brown.

Invisible hands tag at her hair and push the wayward strands back against her skull. She watches as another current of yellow courses and circles about the seemly giant tree behind her with her face upturned, bearing a distant smile. Above still, the cloud-paved sky swirls by as if urged by the hasty wind that blows relentlessly like a shepherd herding its sheep back to their cages.

"Sakura-san, why are we here?" an uncertain voice pulls her back to the woman standing at her feet gazing about. Silky long hair of midnight fans in the air and occasionally caresses the elegant profile of a proudly grown woman. Lean fingers pull at the edge of the coat almost agitatedly against the gusty wind while under long veils of lashes, two orbs of pearl glances towards her curiously. Regret seizes her when their eyes meet, and she bites her inner cheeks to stop her ever active emotions from overrunning her reason.

This woman deserves so much more than what she has condemned the poor girl to.

"Do you hate me, Hinata?"

She watches the two pools of milky white widen as her fellow kunoichi sputter under her neutral gaze.

"H—what are you talking about, Sakura-san? I don't—"

Wordlessly, she waves towards the building to her left, successfully cutting through the quick to denying comment. It is the exact one that looms quietly over their small private hill and overlooks the academy; the very same that houses her two lawless, _unconscious_ teammates.

"I took _him_ away from you, Hinata. Do you not hate me for it?"

The timid Hyuga falls silent. So she slides her eyelids shut. With the image burned into her mind, she clamps down the urge to sigh again. It is the façade she can never decipher despite it being the one she sees the most; it is the kind of mask that bears nothing except for what the Hyuga heir wants it to display. The downcast pale eyes veiled heavily by thick eyelashes betray no emotion, only the stilling of twiddling fingertips against soft fabric telltales the inner turmoil under ivory skin.

Inhaling the mid-autumn air, she starts, "The… _thing_ going on between Sasuke, me and Naruto is like an everlasting cycle; as long as one of us is still here, it will never end. The feelings I have for Sasuke will never be returned; likewise, I cannot return Naruto's feelings. To me, Naruto will always be a very dear brother, nothing more, nothing less."

A surprisingly defiant tone reaches her ears. "I… don't know what you are saying, Sakura-san."

She feels a corner of her lips lift slightly despite their serious conversation. "I may be cruel, Hinata, but I am not blind. I will be fool if I don't see how much you feel for my teammate."

"Sakura-san, I—"

She shakes her head, stopping the interruption. The mounting, contradicting emotions filling her are just too much to bear, and she wants out. She can feel each second ticks by as the burden wears her down even more; she just wants to let it out once and for all. _Desperation_.

"I was young and foolish. I knew it will end with an impasse, but I still went to him. I did more harm than good by following the false feeling I thought was love." A string of bitter chuckle escapes her lips, "It leaves me at the same spot where I start out, and instead of gaining something, I only earned more heartaches. This just won't end, and I'm just so tired…"

"What… are you saying, Sakura-san?" Hesitant shimmers within two pools of pearl as long fingers fall to the side. Blades of yellow crushed beneath sandaled feet as the woman approach her slowly.

Her own hand reach deep into her side pocket and draws out a slim sheet of folded paper and extends it to the now crouching girl.

"I need a favor, Hinata."

* * *

The howl still rings in her ears as she forces herself to stay rooted by his door. She knew from the start that, after learning Sakura's intentions later that afternoon, breaking the news to him was not going to be easy; she expected it to a certain degree, but never this.

It is a sight she never wanted to see. The web-like crack marring one of the walls streches its tendrils and reaching towards the framed picture of the former Team Seven; curled fists shaking with mixed emotions braces against said crack, knuckles white. Small rivers of crimson trickle silently down to form a pool down below. The signature, spiky blond hair obscures the pair of cerulean blue eyes that burns lividly as echoes of harsh breathing breaks the silent of the night.

Her stomach clenches with worry at the steady flow of red that, surprisingly, shows no signs of stopping. She bites her tongue hard as she unwinds her tangled digits and steps towards him. Ignoring the red stain on her sandals, she slowly places her hands on the taut bicep as to not alarm its owner.

"N-Naruto-kun, I need to fix your wound."

She prepares herself to spend a decent amount of time to coax the man away from the ruined wall, but Naruto surprises her first. Muscles flex under her touch for a moment before slacking as the limb falls away from the wall. After the second limb drops limply by his side, she sets her hand on his right shoulder and gradually applying pressure to steer him towards the chairs nearby.

Spotting the first-aid kit to the side, she hurriedly drags the small box to her feet. Taking the injured hand into her hand, she quickly works to cleanse the wound and apply the proper ointment to ease the pain of the tear. As her fingers work to untangle the bands, he jolts her from her handiwork.

"What else?" He chokes.

Mind quickly goes through the memory of that afternoon, she bites her lips lightly before starting. "She… is with child, so she decided to ask Tsunade for an indefinite leave."

"Where? Why?" The slight trembling tones are not lost on her, and her heart clenches with each quivering note.

"She did not say, only that she doesn't want anyone to go look for her. She... she said she needs some fresh air." She knew it is not enough of an answer to his question, which seems to ask so much more with just two simple words. But from what she gathered that afternoon, it is all she can give as a bystander. Her innards twists at the thought; she is merely a _bystander_. Inhaling quickly, she wipes away any emotion on her face before tying a knot to the bands and digs into her pocket.

"She asked me to give you this."

Her eyes trained on the bandaged hand that swallows her smaller one in a vice-like grip for a second; the pain, however, does not seem to register in her mind at all when all she can see is the trial of moist slowly sliding down his whiskered cheeks.

Even without her Byakugan, she can see lines of wrinkles forming on the paper as the hand attaching to it shake uncontrollably in the background. _I don't hate you, Sakura-san, even if you make him weep, because you have the strength I don't to move on._

Time ticks by slowly as the strained silence streches between them.

And it takes exactly five seconds for the crumbled paper to slip through shaky figners, tumble through the air and reach the floor; its two lone words glimming under the moonlight against pristine white.

_Thank you_.

* * *

A/N: Sorry if Hinata appears a bit too mushy towards the end. It is something that I've been trying to fix for ages but never seem to come out right (in case it isn't clear, Sakura narrates the first part and Hinata narrates the second part).

And with this chapter done, it will conclude _Sweet Dreams_. I've been trying hard to capture the heartbreaks of one-sided relationships through these pairings, though not very successful. But I do try.

Thank you very much for those who reviewed, keep them coming; I really appreciate the great support, and hope you enjoy reading it.

Envo 05/05


End file.
